especially in syria. >> may peace be for the people of syria, deeply wounded and divided by a conflict which has not spared even the defenseless and reached innocent victims. >> ifill: pilgrims also flocked to the holy land for christmas mass in bethlehem's church of the nativity believe to be the site of the jesus' birth. to the east in iraq security was tight outside a church in baghdad. armed police searched everyone who arrived for the christmas day service in a bid to prevent attacks by islamic militants. but sectarian violence did erupt in nigeria for the third christmas in a row. gunmen killed at least five worshippers in the northeast where the radical islammist sect has staged repeated attacks. back in this country, memories of violence and loss were still fresh in newtown, connecticut. as townspeople filled trinity episcopal church on christmas eve. the pastor focused on the youngest worshippers ten days after a gunman killed 20 students and six adults at an elementary school. >> i just want to ask how you are. are you good? >> yeah. are you okay? are you doing okay? >> ifill

end the bloodshed in syria. in central asia, a military plane crashed early this morning in kazakhstan killing 27 people including the country's head of border security. the russian-made aircraft went down near a southern city. the dead also included seven crew members and 19 border guards. there was no immediate word on the cause of the crash but kazakhstan has been plagued by heavy winds and snow in recent weeks. the long-time actor charles durning died monday at his home in new york. he came to be known as the king of character actors. in a 50-year career that spanned broadway, the movies and television. along the way he earned two oscar nominations. one was for his role as the corrupt governor in the best little whorehouse in texas in 1992. in tootsies he played the suitor of dustin hoffman who was posing as a female soap opera star. now back to gwen. >> ifill: we turn to politics and part 2 of our lookality upcoming elections. last night i had talkd with newshour political editor christina bellantoni about how senate contests. tonight we continue our conversation. welco